Boll-weevil exterminator



Jume- HQ, B923.

RASE@ J. A. HARDEN BOLL WEEVIL EXTERMINATOR Filed Oct. 16, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet l WlTN ESS:

Jam@ w, E923. i ,459,626

' J. A. HARDEN BOLL WEEVIL EXTERMINATOR Filed Oct. 16. 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESS: ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Shea?J 5 J. A. HARDEN BOLL WEEVIL EXTERMINATOR Filed Oct.

CM/TCZGW INVmTOR ATTORNEY June 39, 31923.

WITNESS:

.Hume H9, H923. 3,459,626

v J. A. HARDEN l BOLL WEEVIL EXTERMINATOR Filed Oct. 16, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WITNESS:

Patented .lune 19, 1923.

' i LS T.

BOLL-WEEVIL EXTERMIN'ATOR.

AApplcation led October 1, .11922. Serial iNo. 594,907.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HARDEN, a citizen of the United States, :residing at Ada, in the county ot Pontotoc and'Stateot' Oklahoma, have invented ynew and useful [m-v provements in Boll-Veevil lxterminators, of which the `following is a specification.

This invention relates to insect destroying devices and has for its object the provision ot a novel machine designed to be drawn along `the ground in straddling relation over a row ot cotton and provided with means whereby to `knock oit and collect the lweevils and punctured squares so that they may be subsequently destroyed.

An yimportant object `is the provision ot' a device or' this character which is provided with positively driven'beaters which will operate to brush against the plants for knocking off the weevils and squares.

Another object is -the provision of a device of this character'in whichthe collector pans are adjustably mounted and in which means is provided toi-'elevating these pans when the machine is making a turnorwhen the machine inust pass over a stump, stone or other obstruction.

A further object is the provision of a Inachine of this character in which the entire device is adjustable as 'to width whereby it may be conveniently used for treating young plants or those which have become more bushy and which requirethe-pans to be more greatly separated to avoid injuring the stalks.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to operate and control, lpositive in action, eliicient and durable'in service and a general improvementinthe art.

l/Vith the above and other ob 'ects and advantages in view the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described `and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is aside chine,

`Figure 2 is a 'front View, y

Figure 3 Ais 'a topplan view showing the outside beaters'asbeing in one limit of their movement,

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 5,v

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section taken elevation of the mapans,

`for holding the sections together.

along one side bar oi the frame and showing the lever meansfor raising and lowering the Figure (iis across section taken through the axle,

Figure 7 is a'detail cross section showing the mounting foi-the outside beaters,

Figure 8 `is across section taken through the paddle shait7 Figure 9 isadetail section through one ot the pans and f Figure 10 is a detail sectional view showing one otl the driving gear brackets.

Referring more particularly to the drawings the `numeral 1.5 designates broadly the supporting trame of the device, which i'raine is here illustrated as being rectangular in" shape and including side bars 16 connected by trontand rear cross bars 1T. These cross bars 17 are formed or' overlapping sections cachot' which is formed with a plurality of holes 18 through which are passed bolts 19 By this construction it will be seen that-fthe width of the entire trame may be VVaried to meet diterent requirements or conditions. The side bars 16 or' the frame carry bearings 20 within which is journaled an axle 21 which is formed of slidabl'y connected sections 22 and uponone otwhich is mounted a sprocket The numeral 26 designates a draft tongue by means of which the device may be pulled along a `ieldand carried by this tongue; at

ACl)

the rearend thereof isa seat 27 for the opy erator. f i

Adjustably mounted below the trame are two spaced elongated pans 2S whichpreierably have ytheir edges inturned or rolled as shown Vat 29 to prevent any weevils knocked into'ithe pans from crawling out. At their rear ends the vpans are secured to bars 30 whicheitend upwardly and which are vrformed with ioles 31 through selected ones ot which pass bolts 32 which pass through 'the side bars 16 of the frame for the purposeioi2 pivotally mounting the pans in an adjustable manner. Fivotally connected with the forward end portions of these pans are links 33 which extend upwardly and which are pivotally connected with levers 34 which are pivoted on the frame and which 3o-operate with catches 35 which will hold the levers in selected positions with the pans either in raised or lowered position as may be desired. The raising of the pans is desirable when the machine turns at the end of row or in case it is necessary to pass over a stump or other obstruction in the field.

Journaled through the side bars 16 is a transverse shaft 36 which carries paddles 37 located above the pans and rotated by means of a sprocket 36 on the shaft 36 over which is trained a chain 39 which is in turn trained about a sprocket 4G on a counter shaft 41 journaled at the front of the frame. This counter shaft carries a sprocket 42 engaged by a chain 43 which is trained about the sprocket 25. By this connection it will be seen that when the vdevice is drawn along the paddles will be rotated to beat the plants and knock @if the weevi-ls.

Extending beyond the sides of the main frame are brackets 44 on which are journaled crank shafts 45 which carry pinions 46 meshing 4with the gears 24. Secured to the side bars 16 are other brackets 47 carrying bolts 48 which pass through elongated slots 49 invelongated arms 50 which are pivoted on the cranks of the shafts 45. The rear ends of the arms 50 are downturned as shown and carry beaters 51 designed to brush against the plants being treated.

The rear ends of the pans 28 are formed open but are normally closed by U-shaped gate members 52 which are pivoted at 53 and which may be swung up when it is necessary to sweep-any accumulations out of the pansgthis action being facilitated by operating the levers 34 to raise the forward ends 0f the pans.

ln the operation it will be seen that when the device is drawn along the ground7 the rotation of the ground wheels 23 will cause the counter shaft 41 and paddle shaft 36 to be l driven. When the device is in operation it is of course to be understood that the levers 34 are in such position that the pans will be lowered so that they will. travel close to the ground and immediately at the sides of the row of plants. The rotary movement of the paddles 37 will cause the weevils and punctured squares to be knocked from the plants into the pans. The rotation of the gears 24 will cause rotation of the pinions 46 and the cranks 45 will reciprocate the arms 50 which carry the beaters 51 and at the same timel give them lateral swinging movement which will cause the beaters to brush against the `plants and knock off the weevils and punctured squares. When quite a quantity of squares and insects has been collected in the pans the rear end gates thereof may be raised and the debris swept out of the pans into sacks or other receptacles and subsequently burned.

A notable feature is the fact that the frame and the supporting axle may be adjusted so that the entire machine may be made wide or narrow depending upon the conditions in the particular field in which the device is to be used. It is also to be observed that the height of the pans may be adjusted irrespective of the lever means for raising and lowering them at different times.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that l have thus provided a simply con structed and very easily operated machine which will be highly efficient for use in de stroying boil weevils and punctured squares in a very rapid manner and involving very little labor.

lWhile l have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is of course to be understood that I reserve the rght to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention l claim:

l. A machine of the character described comprising a supporting frame including side bars and longitudinally adjustable cross bars7 an axle formed of longitudinally adjustably connected sections, ground engaging wheels carried by the axle, adjustable and movable pans arranged in spaced relation and suspended from said frame and beater `mechanism driven by the wheels, the adjustment of said cross bars and axle pernitting variation in the width of the machine to meet various requirements.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a supporting frame, an axle carried thereby, ground engaging wheels on said axle, gears on said wheels adjustable and movable pans. suspended below the frame7 paddle mechanism carried by the frame and driven by one wheel, supporting brackets projecting from the sides of the frame, pinions carried by cranks journaled in said brackets and meshing @with said gears, other brackets carried by the frame, and arms pivotally and slidably mounted upon said last named bracket-s with their forward ends connected with said cranks and with their rear ends carrying beaters designed to brush against a row of plants straddled by the machine. v

In testimony whereof I afiix myl signature.

JAMES A. HARDEN. 

